The London guide to Chocolate Week 2015

We are now in the full-swing of a chocolate-fuelled week in London - the UK's biggest celebration of this much loved cocoa product. The chocolatiers of London are honouring this occasion with tastings, workshops and demonstrations throughout the capital, all leading up to the big event - The Chocolate Show at Olympia National Hall from 16-18 October.

Here's our round-up of the most exciting events on the schedule, from meat and chocolate matching (yes, really) to a bike-themed chocolate brownie bake-off.

Monday 12 October

Chocolate and Meats pairing at The Ginger Pig

7-9pm 3 Moxon Street, London W1U 4EW

We kick off Chocolate Week 2015 with a rather bizarre but tempting collaboration between Rococo and the skilled butchers at The Ginger Pig. Rococo’s pairings expert will walk you through a selection of cold-cuts and cured meats at the butchery, matched - unusually but sucessfully - with their award-winning chocolates. From roast beef to Parma ham, the team at Rococo can offer you some interesting additions to your Sunday Roast.

£25 per person; call Sam on 07469853957 to book your place.

The Chocolate School kitchen at Rococo

7-9pm 5 Motcomb Street, London SW1X 8JU

Another one of Rococo's many choc-related events this week, this two-hour session brings you a lesson in chocolate-bar making. You'll learn the ins and outs of the origins of chocolate, and the art of chocolate tasting (or scoffing?). Create your own chocolate bar with a selection of different flavourings and toppings to take home and share with the family - or not, if you so choose.

£35 per person; call Sam on 07469853957 to book your place.

Chocolate mushrooms: one of many amazing creations from RococoCredit:
Martin Pope

Tuesday 13 October

This top London hotel spa and the award-winning chocolatiers at Divine have teamed up to create the Divine Chocolate and Cranberry Indulge treatment. Featuring a cranberry body wrap, chocolate balm body massage, and antioxidant drink, with a bar of Divine chocolate to nibble on your way home.

£125

K West Hotel and Spa collaborate with Divine Chocolate to create the ultimate luxurious treatmentCredit:
K-West Hotel and Spa and Divine Chocolate

Wednesday 14 October

Rococo Chocolates and Five Points Brewing Co

7-9pm 3 Institute Place, London E81JE

This exciting collaboration brings you an evening of beer and chocolate. Sam Smallman pairs Rococo's chocolates with five of Five Points' beers, giving you the opportunity to not only try the individual products, but also to experience how well the flavours marry together.

£25 per person; call Sam on 07469853957 to book your place.

Thursday 15 October

Beer and chocolate is a popular theme this year. Here, the Madécasse team have paired up with another London brewery, Tap East, to celebrate Chocolate Week with an “ultra-exclusive” chocolate beer. The brew recipe will be kept a secret, but Tap East's head brewer has revealed that it stars Madagascan cocoa, considered by experts to be the best in the world. Take part in the event to experience recipe demonstrations, the “Choco-beer” launch and a chocolate and beer matching session.

Tasting Thursdays

7-9pm 321 Kings Rd London SW35EP

Celebrating two years of "Tasting Thursdays", Rococo's pairings expert Sam Smallman - who appears to be extremely busy this week - will be taking you through his favourite pairings from the last two years in a special 'one-night-only' edition for Chocolate Week.

£25 per person; call Sam on 07469853957 to book your place.

Bikeworks Brownie Bake-Off

6.30pm 138-140 Cambridge Heath, London E1 5QJ

Head over to the Bethnal Green Bikeworks store, grab a free bar of Divine chocolate, pop home and bake up a brownie storm then return to the store for judging! The winner will receive a free Divine Chocolate hamper - sounds to us like a lot of free chocolate; what's not to like?

Friday 16 October

Rum pairings

5.30-9pm 3 Moxon Street, London W1U 4EW

To round off RumFest - the world's largest three-day rum festival, which coincides with the end of Chocolate Week - The infamous Sam, Rococo's pairings expert, returns again in collaboration with Global Rum Ambassador Ian Burrell to present delicious matches of award-winning chocolates with specially selected rums.

Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October

Exhibiting at the Chocolate Show itself, Lucocoa were London’s first bean-to-bar chocolate making company. They opt for healthier alternatives in coconut sugar and lucuma. Make sure to try their signature “Natural Blonde bar”.

An innovative collaboration between chocolatiers and fashion designers, this year’s theme is “Once Upon A Time in The Land of Chocolate”. Expect magical masterpieces from the works of Aneesh Popat, Anita Thakker and Lucie Bennett, whose dresses are on display pre-catwalk at The Chocolate Show’s pop-up in St. Pancras. This is a must-see (before it melts!)